Tiedown apparatus



United States Patent [111 3,545,713

[72] lnventors Rolf Mowatt-Larssen [56] References Cited much; can NJ UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,666,568 4/1928 Jackson....; 248/293 [21] Appl. No. 700,399

1,966,492 7/1934 Fildes 105/366 [22] Filed Jan. 25,1968 2 653 036 9/1953 C reel 248/293X [45] Patented Dec. 8, 1970 73 A M Ram Division Fmehauf 3,159,111 12/1964 Gutndge 248/361X I 1 C "o 3,399,921 9/1968 Trost 248/361X f zf' 3,417,712 12/1968 Pulcrano 105/368 acorponfion Michigan 1,471,111 l/l923 Eder 105/366 Primary Examiner-Chancellor E. Harris AttorneyBryan and Butrum ABSTRACT: A housing is provided carrying a locking head [54] i ig g g g which is spring biased to lock position and retained in unlock l C n: position by a spring-pressed plunger. When the aperture in the [52] U.S.Cl. 248/361, corner of a container is placed over the locking head, the

' 105/366 plunger is depressed to unlock the locking head which is auto- [51] Int. Cl. 861d /00, matically moved to lock position by the spring. The housing is Bj 1/22 pivoted on a pivot means which is vertically movable above [50] Field of Search 248/361, and below an associated support surface so that the housing can be moved to a retracted position below the support surface.

u x 217, ,5! I L u 11 1 liiillIll SHEET 1 OF 7 PATENTED DEE 81970 RSSf/E sm/0a c. MM/z/m/ ATTORNEYS PATENTEU it 8 8m 7 3545713 SHEET 2 OF 7 MWIMW PATENTED DEB 81970 SHEET 5 0F 7 ATTORNEYS 1 rmnowu APPARATUS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Tiedown structures in the prior art have employed twist locks for securing containers to a surface, but such apparatus has been so mounted as to permanently extend above the support surface with which it is associated thereby forming an obstruction for other types of cargo and limiting the freedom of movement along thesupporting surface. This type of prior art tiedown apparatus. is not retractable or otherwise readily movable so as to be out of the way.

Conventional tiedown apparatus has also been manually operated thereby requiring. personnel to move from one tiedown device to another manually actuating the locking means thereof so as to lock'a container in place thereon. This type of manualactuating procedure is of course time-consuming and expensive.

Additionally, known tiedown apparatus has often employed latching means for holding the tiedown apparatus in operative position thereby complicating the structural arrangement. A further difficulty when employing known tiedown apparatus is the fact that it is often very difficult to modify existing support means to accommodate the'tiedown apparatus. For example, when the tiedown apparatus is mine utilized on a railcar or the like, it is often difficultto modify the existing railcar structure in order to properly mount the tiedown apparatus.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides an arrangement wherein the tiedown mechanism is supported within a housing means which is pivoted to a pivot means, this pivot means being vertically movable above and below an associated support surface. With this arrangement, the housing mean'sis connected to the pivot means so as to extendbelow the associated support surface and in fact to be substantially flush therewith so as to present no obstruction to the movement of articles along the support surface. Additionally, the construction is such that the pivot means and the associated housing means may be readily raised into an up position so as to operatively receive a container thereon. Accordingly, the tiedown apparatus is fully retractable to a position so'as not to form an obstruction with respect to the associated support surface and is readily movable into operative position thereon.

Latching means is provided for holding the locking head of the tiedown apparatus in unlock position. In such unlock position, a container is adapted to be placed on the apparatus with the locking head received within a suitable aperture provided in the container. The tiedown apparatus further includes a sensing means in the form of an elongated member having a finger thereon. This sensing means is so positioned as to be engaged by a container when the containeris lowered onto the tiedown apparatus, and upon downward movement of the sensing means, the finger associated therewith causes the latch to be released so that the locking head moves into lock position.

Accordingly, the locking head of the tiedown apparatus of the present invention is automatically released to move into lock position when a container is lowered onto the apparatus. This eliminates the necessity-of manually actuating the apparatus and insures that the weight of the container itself will automatically cause the apparatus to move into lock position to hold the container in properposition.

No additional latching means is required for holding the tiedown apparatus in its operative up position in the present invention. Once the apparatus has been pivoted into its operative relationship with thehousing means thereof supported on the associated support surface, the apparatus will automatically be retained in its operative position during the use of the invention structure.

In one form of the invention, guide means is provided for the sensing means so as to simplify the overall structure of the apparatus and to eliminate the necessity of providing an additional hole in the housing means to receive the sensing means.

In a further form of the invention, a pivoted handle arrangement is provided wherein a portion of the handle automatically drops under the influence of gravity so as to be out of the say way.

In still another form of the invention, a casting is provided to form a support structure for the pivot means and the housing means associated therewith. This form of the invention enables existing railway cars to be readily modified to receive the tiedown apparatus thereby substantially reducing the cost involved. Additionally, this latter form of the invention provides a simplified arrangement which eliminates some of the structure associated with other forms of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG 1 is a view in elevationof a housing disposed above a supporting surface, with its locking head in secured relation to the corner casting of a container;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the structure illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the structure illustrated in FIG. 2, taken on the line 3-3 thereof looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view of the structure illustrated in FIG. 2, taken on the line 4-4 thereof looking in the direction of the arrows with the housing in container supporting position;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the structure illustrated in FIG. 4, taken on the line 5-5 thereof'looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 6 is a view the structure illustrated in FIG. 2, with the locking head secured in unlocked position;

FIG. 7 is a sectionai view of the structure illustrated in FIG. 6, taken on the line 7-7 thereof looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged sectional view of the structure illus trated in FIG. 5, taken on the line 8-8 thereof looking in the direction of the arrow;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged broken sectional view of the structure illustrated in FIG. 7, taken on the line 9-9 thereof looking in the direction of the arrowswith a container on the housing and the locking head in unlocked position;

FIG. 10 is a view of the structure of FIG. 9, with the container removed from the housing;

FIG. 11 is a sectional view of the structure illustrated in FIG. 10, taken on the line 11-11 thereof looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 12 is a view of the structure illustrated on FIG. 4, with the housing disposed within the well;

FIG. 13 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating a modified form of the invention;

FIG. 14 is a top perspective view partly broken away and illustrating the components of a further modified form of the invention in exploded relationship;

FIG. 15 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 4, illustrating still another modified form of the invention, certain components in the latter form of the invention being broken away for the sake of clarity;

FIG. 16 is a sectional view taken substantially along line 16-16 of FIG. 15, looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 17 is a view taken substantially along line 17-17 of FIG. 15, looking in the direction of the arrows; and

FIG. 18 is a top view partly broken away of a railway car employing the tiedown apparatus of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A support surface 11 may comprise the floor of a carrier such as a rail car, and a well 12 is formed between a pair of spaced channel members 13 joined together by transverse plates 14 and 15. The floor 11 has a rectangular opening 16 formed therethrough as illustrated in FIG. 2. A substantially rectangular housing 17 has a pair of spaced apertured bosses 18 at one end which received the apertured end of a rectangular bar 19. A pivot pin 21 extends through the apertures of the bosses 18 and the bar 19 forming a hinge. The bar 19 extends downwardly into the well 12 and has an elongated slot 22 formed therethrough through which a pin 23 extends. The ends of the pin 23 are supported in apertured bosses 24 secured to the transverse plate 25 between the channel members 13. When the housing 17 is swung 180 from the position illustrated in FIG. 1, to a position over the rectangular aperture 16 in the floor, the housing and bar can move downwardly into the well to be recessed therein.

As seen in FIG. 3, pin 26 extends through an aperture in one of the channel members 13 and that ofa plate 27 supported on an adjacent boss 24. A spring 30 is provided about the pin 26 between the inner face of the channel member 13 and a pin 28 extending therethrough. A ring 29 on the outer end of the pin 26 permits the manual retraction thereof. The adjacent corner of the bar 19 has a sloping cam surface 31 located above the inner end of the pin 26 which moves the pin outwardly when the bar is moved downwardly so that further movement of the bar 19 downwardly will permit the pin 26 to be urged into the slot 22 to lock the bar in its downward position.

The housing 17 is made from two angle-shaped plates 32 and 33 which are welded together to provide a top plate 34 and a bottom plate 35 in the position illustrated in FIG. 1. The top plate 34 has the edge opposite to the side containing bosses 18 located to rest upon the inwardly extending flange 36 at the bottom of the plate 14 as shown in phantom line in FIG. 4. In this position the bottom plate 35 closes the rectangular opening 16 and is disposed substantially flush with the floor 11. A plate 37 is secured to the opposite side of the transverse plate 25 on the side thereof opposite to the that supporting the bosses 24. A pin 38 extends outwardly at the top from one side of the plate 37 for supporting the eye of a spring 39. The eye on the opposite end of the spring is secured to a pin extending through a finger 42 welded to the bottom of the bar, the finger having a slot therein, in which the eye is disposed. The spring counterbalances the bar and the housing and assists in their movement out of the well 12. The pins 21 and 23 are prevented from moving longitudinally from the retaining apertures by rectangular plates 43 welded to the outer faces of the bosses l8 and 24 across the apertures therethrough, as clearly illustrated in FIG. 3.

As illustrated in FIG. 11, the housing 17 has spaced plates 44 and 45 in the area defined by the angle-shaped plates 32 and 33 to which they are secured to provide reinforcement therefor. The top plate 34 has a pad 46 welded thereon of rectangular shape with arcuate end portions 47 providing a peripheral contour which will be received by a similar shaped opening in the castings at the comers of the container. The pads are of a thickness to extend slightly above the thickness of the wall of the aperture, as illustrated more specifically in FIG. 7.

Thepad has a central aperture 49 through which a shaft 51 of a locking head 52 extends and this shaft also extending through a mating aperture in the top plate 34. The head is of generally pyramid shape, as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,1 1 1,341, having opposite sidescut away at 53 to provide a peripheral contour the shape of the pad 46. A finger 54 is secured to the shaft 51, the outer end of the finger having an aperture 55 which is aligned with the inner surface ofa sleeve 56 which is welded to the underside of the finger. A washer 57 is welded to the underside of the sleeve 56 through the central aperture of which a plunger 58 extends. A spring 59 is supported within the sleeve 56 about the plunger 58 on the washer 57 with the end engaging a washer 61 secured to the plunger inwardly of the top end thereof. A collar 62 is secured to the bottom end of the plunger by which it is moved downwardly.

The shaft 51 has a slot 63 in the bottom which receives the inwardly directed end 64 of a torsion spring 65, the opposite end of which is hooked about a stud 66 secured to the tope top plate 34. An angle shaped handle 67 has one end secured to the end of the shaft 51 with the opposite end forming a handhold for manually rotating the head 52 to unlock position. When moved to unlock position, as illustrated in FIG. 7, an

end 68 of the plunger 58 will be urged into an aperture 69 extending through the top plate 34 and into the pad 46. The top and bottom plates 34 and 35 of the housing 17 have aligned apertures 71 therethrough which journal a rod 72 for longitudinal and rotational movement therein.

The rod 72 has a finger 73 secured thereon by a pin 74. One end 75 of the finger is urged by a compression torsion spring 76 into engagement with the plunger 58 above the collar 62 when the rod 72 is in its upward position limited by a pin 60, and the locking head 52 is retained in unlock position by the plunger 58. In this position, the opposite end of the finger 73 from the end 75 engages the wall of the angle shaped plate 32, as illustrated in FIG. 11. The spring 76 has an end 70 extending through an aperture in the finger 73 with the opposite end 77 engaging in the angle shaped plate 32. The spring 76 urges the finger 73 clockwise as viewed in FIG. 11, and the rod 72 upwardly to locate the end 75 of the finger above the collar 62. An aperture 78 is provided in the floor 11 aligned with the apertures 71 in the housing 17 through which the rod 72 extends.

As illustrated in FIG 7, when the corner casting 79 of the container has is its aperture 48 placed over the pad 46, the rod 72 will be moved downwardly causing the end 75 of the finger 73 to engage and move the collar 62 downwardly therewith along with the plunger 58. This withdraws the end 68 from the aperture 69 to permit the spring 65 to rotate the shaft 51 and the locking head 52 clockwise, as illustrated in FIG. 2, to lock position. The locking occurs through the application of the container to the housing 17 over the pad 46 which depresses the rod 72 and releases the shaft 51 to permit the turning of the heat 52 automatically by the spring 65. When the container is to be released, the handle 67 is moved outwardly to a position illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 9 to rotate the locking head 52 into a position parallel with the pad 46, as illustrated in FIG. 6. The locking head 52 is locked in unlock position by the movement of the end 68 of the plunger 58 into the aperture 69. Since the rod 72 is disposed in downward position when the container rests thereon, the collar 62 will engage the end 75 of the finger 73 and rotate the shaft against the tension of the spring 76. After the container has been raised from the pad 46 and head 52, the spring 76 will urge the rod 72 upwardly to the position illustrated in FIG. 10 at which time the end 75 of the finger 73 will be urged to the position above the collar 62, as illustrated in FIGS. 10 and 11.

It will be noted that the angle shaped handle 67 extends through a slot 81 in the transverse plate 45 of the housing 17 when the head is in lock position, as illustrated in FIG. 5. An aperture 82 is provided through the plates 44 and 45 at the edge adjacent to the bottom plate 35 providing a finger hold to assist in swinging the housing 17 to and from the well 12. With this arrangement the housing is readily raised from the well 12 from a position flush with the floor 11 to a position wherein the hinge bosses 18 are disposed thereabove so that the housing 17 can be swung from a position above the well into engagement with the floor 11, as illustrated in FIG. 1. In this position the handle 67 is moved outwardly to have the locking head 52 latched in position aligned with the a pad 46 with the end 75 of the finger 73 disposed above the collar 62 of the plunger 58. The plunger is moved downwardly when the casting 79 rests upon the top plate 34 of the housing 17 to release the locking head 52 which will be rotated by the spring 65 into angular position to the pad 46 to lock the castings and container on the housings. The spring will prevent the head from moving to released position and the handle 67 will be nested within the housing out of a position where it would be accidentally operated.

When the housing 17 is to be moved from the well, the ring 29 is grasped and pulled outwardly to move the pin 26 from the slot 22 of the bar 19 whereupon the spring 59 will raise the bar so that the housing 17 can be grasped and moved upwardly to have th the hinge connection with the housing move above the floor 11 so that the housing can be swung 180 onto the floor 11 in a position to receive the castings of the container. When disposed within the well, the housing is flush with the floor so that the floor can be employed for vehicles or other cargo.

Referring now to FIG. 13 of the drawing, a modified form of the invention is illustrated. This figure shows a portion of the housing means of the apparatus wherein the components associated therewith may be substantially identical with those previously described with the exception of the sensing means.

The housing is indicated generally by reference number 100 and includes a bottom wall 102 joining with a sidewall 104. A top wall of the housing 1061has a hole 107 formed therethrough.

The sensing means is in this form of the invention has been modified and comprises an elongated member 108 in the form of a one-piece casting having a reduced upper end portion 110 fitting through the hole 107 in the upper wall of the housing. Elongated member 108 also includes an integral enlarged finger 112 having a hole 114 formed therethrough. This finger 112 corresponds to the finger 73 of the sensing means 72 previously described.

The lower end portion 120 of casting 108 is received within a guide sleeve 122 fixedly secured to the bottom wall 102 of the housing. This guide sleeve is of tubular generally cylindrical construction and is adapted to receive and guide movement of the sensing means. 7

A compression torsion spring 126 has the upper end 128 thereof disposed within the hole 114 in finger 112 of the sensing means for urging the sensing means upwardly and for rotating the sensing means in the same manner as discussed previously in connection with spring 76. The lower end of spring 126 is disposed about the guide sleeve 122 and terminates in an end portion 130 inoperative engagement with the inwardly facingsurfaceof the wall side 104 of the housing.

This form of the invention eliminates the necessity of providing a holein the supporting surface or floor as employed with the previously described structure.

Referring now to FIG. 14 of the drawings, a further form of the invention is illustrated. As seen in this figure, the handle operatively connected with the end of shaft 51 previously described includes a portion 140 which extends through the slot 81 in the housing of the first described housing. However, this portion 140 extends only slightly beyond the member 45 of the housing structure has a transverse hold 142 formed therethrough.

The handle also includes a portion indicated generally by references 144 having an arcuate end portion 146 adapted to be manually grasped. End portion 144 also defines a pair of spaced ears 148 having aligned holes 150 formed therethrough. These holes 150 are in turn adapted to be aligned with hole 142, and a pivot pin 152 is inserted through the aligned holes and suitably secured in operative position so as to pivotally interconnect the portion 144 with the portion 140.

With the arrangement shown in FIG. 14, the handle portion 144 will normally pivotdownwardly under the influence of gravity so as to be out of the way and not to extend beyond the adjacent housing structu'reeven when the tiedown apparatus is disposed in the unlock position. Accordingly, the handle means does not present an obstruction liable to catch on adjacent objects or which would interfere with the free movement of the housing into theassociated well.

Referring now to FIGS. 18 inclusive, a further modified form of the invention is illustrated. Asseen in these figures, the support surface or floor 160 of a railway car or the like has a generally rectangular hole 162 formed therethrough, a portion 164 of the floor being turned over as seen particularly in FIG. 15. This turned over portion serves to protect a person's frame members and 172 as by welding or the like, this stop member defining an upwardly facing stop surface 176 for a purpose hereinafter described.

The support structure for the housing in this form of the invention comprises a support structure which may be a cast or other wise fabricated, the structure being substantially hollow and defining a first sidewall 182. This sidewall is disposed adjacent frame member 170. Aligned holes are provided in sidewall 182 and the frame member 170 for receiving suitable attaching means such as nut and bolt assemblies indicated by reference numerals 184, these assemblies being shown as four in number.

The opposite sidewall of support structure has an integral laterally extending flat flange projecting therefrom, a gussetlike portion 192 extending between this opposite sidewall of the support structure and the undersurface of flange 190. Flange 190 is provided with four spaced holes aligned with similar holes formed in frame member 172 for receiving nut and bolt assemblies 194, shown as four in number, for retaining the support structure in the operative position illustrated.

As seen most clearly in FIG. 15, the support structure includes an upper wall 200 having a thickened boss portion 201 through which is formed hole 22 for a purpose hereinafter described. The support structure also includes an endwall 206 from which extends a pair of spaced lugs 208 having aligned holes 210 formed therethrough.

A pivot means includes a bar indicated generally by reference numeral 214 comprising a body portion 216 of generally rectangular cross-sectional configuration and having a first elongated slot 218. formed through the lower portion thereof and a second elongated slot 220 formed through the upper portion thereof. A pivot pin 224, suitably held in place, extends through the holes 210 formed in the lugs 208 and through the slot 218 for supporting the pivot means for vertical sliding movement upwardly and downwardly with respect to the associated support structure.

A housing is indicated generally be reference numeral 230, and a pair of spaced ears 232 are fixedly secured to one end wall of the housing, these ears having aligned holes 234 formed therethrough. A pivot pin 236, suitably held in place, extends through the aligned holes 234 in the ears 232 and through the slot 220 of the pivot means whereby the housing is pivotally supported at the upper end of the pivot means 214.

The housing is generally rectangular as in the previously described modifications, and a pad 240 is secured to the upper surface thereof, this pad being similar to that previously described. A locking head 242 similar to locking head 52 is supported immediately above the pad as seen in FIG. 15. The locking and latching mechanism of the tiedown apparatus of this form of the invention is'substantially the same as that previously described, and accordingly no further description thereof is considered necessary.

As seen particularly in FIG. 15, an alignment lug 246 is secured to the undersurface of the housing 230 and is adapted to be received within the hole 202 formed in the upper wall of the support structure. This alignment lug has a tapered lower portion to insure that the housing will be properly aligned with the support structure when it is moved into the operative position illustrated. Additionally, this alignment lug is adapted to assist in taking shear loads when a container is supported on the tiedown apparatus.

A guide means 250 in the form of a rigid plate or the like extends from the upper portion of the housing as seen in FIG. 15 and defines an angle a a with respect to vertical. The purpose of this guide an associated container into proper operative I relationship with respect to the tiedown apparatus if the'container happens to be misaligned in a longitudinal direction relative to the tiedown apparatus as hereinafter more fully described.

The housing also includes an offset curved portion 254 which serves as a handhold to assist in lifting the apparatus into the operative position shown in full lines. As shown in phantom lines in FIG. 15, when the housing 230 is moved to its retracted position, it will rest upon the aforementioned stop surface 176, and the handhold 254 will be in a position so that one can slip his fingers under this handhold to lift the housing out of the recessed portion within which it is stowed.

The support structure is also provided with a shaped arcuate edge portion 260. The adjacent portion of the housing is provided with an arcuate portion 262. When the housing is lifted from the stowed position shown in phantom line to the full line position shown in FIG. 15, it is swung in a counterclockwise direction. As it is swung in this direction, the arcuate portion 262 of the housing will engage the arcuate portion 260 of the support structure. These arcuate portions will have a rolling interengagement with one another and provide a means for assisting the movement of the housing into the up position shown in full lines in this figure.

The arcuate position of the housing will roll along the arcuate portion of the support structure, and leverage is obtained to assist in raising the pivot means into the full line position shown.

Referring now to FIG. 18 of the drawings, a top view is illustrated of a railcar indicated generally by reference numeral 270, this railcar being modified to incorporate the tiedown apparatus of the last described form of the present invention.

As seen in FIG. 18, a plurality of spaced rectangular holes 162 are provided through the floor 160 of the car, and a plurality of associated housings 230 are disposed in up operative position. A pair of containers c are indicated in phantom lines in FIG. 18. It will be noted that the guide means 250 of each of the housings are so oriented that they are adapted to be disposed beyond the opposite end portions of an associated container. Accordingly, as a container is lowered into place with respect to four associated tiedown devices of the present invention, the guide means 250 will serve to correct any slight longitudinal displacement of the container and to guide the container down into proper operative association with respect to the tiedown means.

It is apparent from the foregoing that there is provided according to the present invention new and novel tiedown apparatus which is retractable so as to be disposed out of the way and substantially flush with or below an associated support surface. The locking means of the tiedown apparatus is automatically operated when a container is lowered into place with respect to the apparatus, and no additional latching means is required for holding the apparatus in its operative position for receiving a container. The present invention also provides a structural arrangement which permits conventional existing railcars to be readily modified to receive the tiedown apparatus.

As this invention may be embodied in several forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof, the present embodiment is therefore illustrative and not restrictive, and since the scope of this invention is defined by the appended claims, all changes that fall within the metes and bounds of the claims or that form their functional as well as conjointly cooperative equivalents are therefore intended to be embraced by those claims.

We claim:

1. Tiedown apparatus comprising a support surface, pivot means below said support surface, housing means pivoted to said pivot means for movement between a position wherein the housing means extends below said surface to a position wherein the housing means is supported on said surface, a locking head carried by said housing means and movable between a lock and unlock position, and means for moving said locking head to lock position, said pivot means being disposed within a well and being movable vertically therein for moving the housing means above and below said support surface, spring means within said well urging the pivot means outwardly thereof, a movably supported pin, and spring means normally urging said pin in one direction for enterengagement with said pivot means, said pivot means having a cam surface thereon engageable with said 'pin to cam the pin outwardly upon a downward movement of the pivot means.

2. Tiedown apparatus comprising a support surface, pivot means extending below said support surface, housing means pivoted to said pivot means for movement between a position wherein the housing means extends below said surface to a position wherein the housing means is supported on said surface, a locking head carried by said housing means and movable between a lock and unlock position, and means for moving said locking head to lock position, a spring supported within said housing means and operatively connected with said locking head to urge the locking head to lock position, and means connected with the locking head for securing it in unlock position.

3. Tiedown apparatus comprising a support surface, pivot means extending below said support surface, housing means pivoted to said pivot means for movement between a position wherein the housing means extends below said surface to a position wherein the housing means is supported on said surface, a locking head carried by said housing means and movable between a lock and unlock position, and means for moving said locking head to lock position, support structure disposed adjacent said support surface, said pivot means being pivotally supported by said support structure, said support structure including an upper surface having a hole formed therein, said housing means having lug means thereon receivable in said hole.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said pivot means has a slot formed therein, said pin being received within said slot for limiting vertical movement of the pivot means and to lock the pivot means in a down position.

5. A tiedown apparatus as defined in claim 2, including a rod extending from said housing in a position to be moved downwardly by a container in engagement therewith to allow the locking head to move to lock position.

6. Apparatus as defined in claim 3, including a support structure supported adjacent said support surface, said support structure pivotally supporting said pivot means, said support structure having a curved surface thereon, said housing means having a cooperating curved surface engageable with a curved surface on said support structure to facilitate moving the housing means into an up position.

7. Tiedown apparatus comprising a housing, a locking head carried by said housing and movable to lock position when extending through an aperture in a container, a resilient means connected with said locking head for moving it from unlock to lock position, an arm connected with said locking head and carrying latching means for retaining the locking head in unlock position, and means actuated by the container when in position to be locked by the locking head for releasing said latching means to permit the spring to move the locking head to lock position.

8. Tiedown apparatus as defined in claim 7, wherein means is provided for selectively moving said locking head to unlock position to be retained in such position by said latching means.

9. Apparatus as defined in claim 8, wherein said means for selectively moving the locking head comprises handle means including a handle portion pivotally connected with another handle portion so that the pivotally connected handle portion will normally drop under the influence of gravity so as to be disposed out of the way.

10. Tiedown apparatus as defined in claim 7, wherein said means actuated by a container comprises an elongated member having a finger thereon, and a compression torsion type spring disposed about said elongated member and engageable therewith for moving the elongated member upwardly upon movement of a container away from the tiedown apparatus and for moving the finger angularly in position to engage the latching means.

11. Tiedown apparatus as defined in claim 10, including guide means supported by said housing means for guiding movement of said elongated member within said housing means. 

